The present invention relates to a crimping tool, and more particularly to a terminal connector positioning device of the crimping tool.
A prior art crimping tool is generally provided with clamping teeth serving to receive an end of a terminal connector. Another end of the terminal connector is arranged in a manner that it extends beyond the side of the crimping tool. It is often difficult to stabilize the terminal on the clamping teeth which have a relatively small holding area. As a result, an operator is required to hold firmly not only the crimping tool but also the terminal being worked on and the wire to be coupled, so as to prevent the terminal and the wire from moving aside. It is therefore often difficult for an operator to do a good job with such prior art crimping tool, which has inherent structural deficiencies.
With a view to overcoming the shortcomings of the prior art crimping tool described above, the U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,359,083 and 3,673,848 disclose respectively a crimping tool provided with a terminal holding means. However, such terminal holding means disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 2,359,083 is designed for use in adjusting the length of the portion of the terminal that extends beyond the side of the crimping tool holding the terminal. In addition, such terminal holding means is not able to hold firmly both sides of the portion of the terminal that extends beyond the side of the crimping tool. The U.S. Pat. No. 3,673,848 discloses a crimping tool equipped with a receiving space intended for accommodating the portion of the terminal that extends beyond the side of the crimping tool. However, such receiving space is limited in that it can accommodate only those terminals which have certain dimensions, in view of the fact that the receiving space is overcrowded with a spring. Moreover, a terminal of a round columnar construction or a circular fragmentary construction can not be positioned and held firmly in such receiving space.